Loss Of Grip Strength In The Hands May Indicate Premature Ageing

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Are you someone who has been called clumsy a lot? Even if you try hard, you just can't seem to hold on to that bottle/cup in your hand, and you just end up dropping it? Well, a recent study has found a link between low grip strength weakness and accelerated DNA ageing [1].

Let's check it out.

Loss Of Grip Strength And Premature Ageing: What Is The Link?

Here are the important points from the study:

• An investigation conducted at the University of Michigan's Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, MI, has shown that grip strength in a person's hands is a biomarker of biological age.
• Researchers have long considered grip strength to be a biomarker of ageing. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate the biological mechanism(s) by which weakness contributes to adverse health outcomes (including mortality) [2].
• Increased grip strength may be related to lifestyle factors such as exercise and a healthy diet. On the negative side, weaker grip strength is likely associated with obesity-related chronic conditions, other noncommunicable diseases, and sedentary lifestyles.
• The new study compared grip strength values to three epigenetic clocks, the algorithms of which are trained on various health outcomes, such as PhenoAge (predicts multiple ageing outcomes including mortality, cancer, lifespan, physical function, and Alzheimer's disease), GrimAge (morbidity and mortality risk) and DunedinPoAm (measures the rate of ageing in cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, hepatic, pulmonary, periodontal and immune functions) [3][4].
• The participants in the study were aged 50 and over when data collection began in 2006 and 2008, and they were followed for eight to ten years - allowing the results to be considered authentic.
• The analysis found that decreasing grip strength coincided strongly with all three clocks, although there were differences between men and women.
• The relationship between muscle strength and epigenetic ageing is likely related to the mechanisms that regulate general health.
• The correlation between muscle weakness and testosterone deficiency among young and older men was strong and independently associated with multimorbidity [5].
• According to the researchers, there is no plausible reason to believe that increasing grip strength alone would promote health or longevity.
• Increasing grip strength would not have any effect on health or longevity as it is merely an indicator of muscle strength, which means it is highly correlated with other measures of muscle strength.

On A Final Note...

In addition, the researchers noted that activities that improve overall strength capacity and promote healthy weight maintenance are well known to promote healthy ageing and longevity. Such lifestyle interventions include aerobic exercise, strength training, and a healthy diet.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.